Good day my good friend.

The way that I usually write this newsletter is to leave aside the final half an hour of each work day to the task of actually writing the newsletter. Most of the time it works, and if all else fails I can set aside the first hour or so of the day to finalising things.

Today, that finely tuned system did not work. For the last couple of days I have been so tired at the end of the day I have struggled to write anything. Meanwhile, this morning I have a chemotherapy session with my dog who has cancer. And while I love you all very dearly, he takes priority.

So, with that in mind, this is a “bits and bobs” kind of email of random things I have found interesting, and maybe give you an insight into me outside of the transport planning world. Its not really a transport-heavy newsletter, but regardless I hope that you enjoy it.

If you like this newsletter, please share it with someone else who you think will love it. The main way my audience grows is through your recommendations. I will love you forever if you do. 😍

I have co-authored a book on Mobility-as-a-Service, which is a comprehensive guide on this important new transport service. It is available from the Institution of Engineering and Technology. 📕

📚 Things I’m reading

As I am working on a transport strategy at the moment, I have really got into reading about policy roadmaps. If any of you are familiar with technology roadmaps, this is the same principle. You identify what the end goal is, then develop a series of structured interventions that are needed, in a specific order, to reach that goal which are adaptable to a wide variety of possible scenarios. I have been reading the UCL publication A framework for mission-oriented innovation policy roadmapping for the SDGs authored by Michal Miedzinski, Mariana Mazzucato, and Paul Ekins, which is really helping to frame my thinking on how this can be used to create better transport policies.

I have also been reading The Doughnut for Urban Development. You may be aware of the concept of Doughnut Economics produced by Kate Raworth, that sets economic prosperity within a societal “floor” and a planetary “ceiling” which we must operate. This book suggests ways of working, indicators, and how the idea can be adapted to urban development. Big on ideas, not so much on action. But fun to read.

In my personal time, I have just finished reading Red Balloons by Liam Walsh. It is both a memoir of the author’s son and father, who both died in quick succession, their times together watching Swindon Town, and the grief that followed. Some of my fondest memories with my father, who is thankfully still with us, are of driving around various places in the South West of England, seeing Barnstaple Town, Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle, and Torquay United play. As well as watching my dad play in various Sunday League teams – he was a pretty handy goalkeeper! One of my earliest (and only) memories of my grandfather was going with him to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United play Everton in the 1987/88 season. So I know of the power football has to build relationships. Also, having lost a parent already, this book struck an emotional chord with me.

While the “to read” pile is always very large, I am always on the lookout for new things to read, so feel free to suggest them!

🏡 Things at home

Since me and my wife Karen finally bought our own place last year, my task has been getting the garden sorted. This year, I have started planting some of the borders with wildflowers and installing new fences. The wildflowers are only starting to come through now. I also took some old chimney pots and an old watering can I found in the shed, and have planted them, and they look lovely!

We have also been trying to get some wildlife into the garden, and capture them on a wildlife camera we have installed. We have been very successful with birds. We regularly get robins, blackbirds, finches, and blue tits come and feed, and we even have sparrows nesting under the eaves of the house. We also see Red Kites and Herons flying around, but not stopping in yet. As for other animals, they are sly and don’t approach the camera, but we have seen squirrels, hedgehogs, and even bats flying around the garden. But then, one night, we found this crafty fellow rooting around our compost bin.

We are also looking into getting solar panels installed. While the energy tariff we are on with Octopus Energy gives a renewable energy guarantee, we want to join the solar revolution.

📷 Out and about

Yesterday I was in London for an event at the Institution of Civil Engineers, which is just off Parliament Square. So naturally, I had to take a picture of it.

Parliament Square, looking towards the Houses of Parliament

There have been plans put forward to reallocate space on Parliament Square, so that the sides just outside the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey are closed to traffic. In effect, to do a Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square. Which is something I completely support.

🎸 What’s on the Playlist

One of the things I love about working from home is the ability to have my own music on in the background, especially as I have managed to ditch Spotify after bagging a second hand CD player at a car boot sale. Current favourites at the moment are In It for the Money by Supergrass, Nimrod by Green Day, Slipknot’s self-titled album, and Fracture by Bleed from Within.

🐕‍🦺 Walkies!

As a dog lover and owner of two extremely cheeky but lovely dogs, there is plenty of fun and games had when we all try and get our 10000 steps in. We are very fortunate that our Westie Jasper is still with us after his cancer diagnosis, and he is doing great as these pictures show. Belle is being her usual, attention-seeking self.

👍Your feedback is essential

I want to make the newsletter better. To do this, I need your feedback. Just fill in the 3 question survey form by clicking on the below button to provide me with quick feedback, that I can put into action. Thank you so much.